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Software · head to head

Toast vs Square

Toast logo

Toast

Software

Cloud POS platform for restaurants and hospitality

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square logo

Square

Software

Powering the economy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Toast starter tier lacks advanced features; most capabilities require paid plans above $69/month; Square plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • They diverge on capability: Toast covers Order management, Square covers Payment processing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Toast and Square actually diverge.

Attributes where Toast and Square differ
AttributeToastSquare
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsersPOS (Mobile app), Web
Founded20112009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Toast

  • Order management
  • Kitchen display system
  • Employee scheduling
  • Customer management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Delivery integration

Only in Square

  • Payment processing
  • Invoicing
  • Payroll
  • Banking
  • QuickBooks
  • WooCommerce
  • Wix
  • PCI DSS

Both cover

  • Point of sale

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Toast

No use cases recorded yet. See the Toast review.

Square

  • Accept payments with all-in-one POS applicationnot Toast
  • Online ordering and basic website creationnot Toast
  • Invoicing and appointment bookingnot Toast
  • Staff scheduling and loyalty programmesnot Toast

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Toast

  • Starter tier lacks advanced features; most capabilities require paid plans above $69/month
  • No free tier for advanced features like employee scheduling, inventory, or loyalty programs
  • Setup and training time required for complex multi-location deployments
  • Payment processing tied to Toast ecosystem; limited flexibility for alternative payment processors
  • Hardware costs can be substantial for full-featured setups with multiple terminals and kitchen displays

Square

  • Plus plan pricing not specified in documentation
  • Processing fees differ by tier but exact rates not detailed
  • Free plan pricing mentioned but specific features for Plus unclear
  • Text marketing charged at 3¢ per message after first 500 included

Pricing, plan by plan

Toast

Free
  • Starter KitFree
    • Cloud-based POS
    • Payment processing
    • 1-2 terminals
  • Point of Sale$69/month
    • Custom hardware configurations
    • Advanced reporting
    • Core POS features

Square

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Square review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Toast if

  • You need order management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers.
  • You also want kitchen display system.
Toast review

Choose Square if

  • You need payment processing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on POS (Mobile app), Web.
  • You also want invoicing.
Square review

Questions people ask

Is Toast or Square better?
Neither clearly leads. Toast starts at Free and Square at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Toast or Square?
Toast starts at Free and Square at Free.
Does Toast or Square run on more platforms?
Toast runs on Web, iOS, Android, Tablets, Web browsers. Square runs on POS (Mobile app), Web.
Can I use Toast for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Toast do that Square cannot?
Toast covers Order management, Kitchen display system, Employee scheduling, Customer management. Square covers Payment processing, Invoicing, Payroll, Banking. Both handle Point of sale.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Toast: What is the cost of Toast POS?

Toast offers a free Starter Kit tier for one or two terminals with POS and payment processing at no upfront cost, though costs are built into payment processing rates. Paid plans start at $69/month for the Point of Sale plan, with Custom tier available via quote for advanced features.

Source
Toast: Does Toast include online ordering?

Yes. Toast offers online ordering capabilities where customers can order via QR code while seated (Order & Pay) or through standalone online ordering integrated with the POS for kitchen automation.

Source
Toast: Does Toast offer drive-through capabilities?

Yes. In April 2026, Toast launched a drive-thru product supporting voice ordering through integrations, allowing restaurants to automate drive-through workflows.

Source
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Related pages

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